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American Character made six versions of the Tressy doll. One Mary make-up doll, four Cricket dolls and one Pre Teen Tressy doll.

From the collection of Linda Clark

1st Tressy was a "V" leg  doll

The first Tressy doll came that was sold by American Character was a "V" leg version of the doll ( so called because her legs form a "V" shape when she sits) and she has longer arms than the later American Character dolls. She came out in 1964 and she was sold in a box with a cellophane insert in the front and cost just under $5 in 1964.  Tressy came in various hair colours, white, blonde, red, brown and black. She wears a red dress with white trim and a white tie belt with her key attached, white panties and white open toe shoes. She also came complete with her stand, hair clips and booklet. 

# stock number 1200

 The 2nd version of Tressy

The second doll was the standard straight leg version in 1964 and came in a shoe box style of box complete with stand and booklet. She was dressed in a red shift dress with a white belt with her key attached, white open toe shoes, hair clips and white panties. Hair colour range was white, baby blonde, mid blonde, red, brown and black.

Stock number # 1200

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Tressy was also available in a brown mailer type of box.

Stock number # 1200

From the collection of Linda Clark

From the collection of Linda Clark

The 3rd version of Tressy

The third Tressy is Tressy with the Magic make-up face and is from 1965. She has a special coating on her face and blonde hair to allow the application and removal of her special make-up and hair colour. ( This make-up and hair colour must not be used on the earlier two dolls ). She was made with new style posing legs and she came in a shoe box style of box with a sticker on the bottom half saying that she now has posing legs. She came complete with her stand and booklet and was dressed in the same red shift dress with white trim, white belt with key attached, hair clips, white panties and white open toe shoes, just like the earlier dolls.  

Stock number # 1202

 The 4th version of Tressy

The fourth Tressy was Mod Tressy also known as posing Tressy and is from 1965. She has a face similar to the magic make up face doll but much prettier, with a lighter skin colour. Her hair style was different to the previous dolls as she had bangs. The magic make-up face dolls all came with blonde hair as there were hair colouring sets available for dyeing the hair to golden blonde, brunette or red. She also came in a red dress with white trim and belt with her key attached, white panties, hair clips and white open toe shoes. Her box is an carton style type that opens at the top and bottom..

Stock number # 1203

From the collection of Linda Clark

From the collection of Linda Clark

First version African American Tressy

The first version of the African American Tressy doll from 1964 has straight non bending legs and came in a see through box with a cellophane insert in the front. She came in the same red dress with white trim and belt with the key attached as the white dolls, with hair clips, white panties, White open toe shoes and her Tressy stand.

Stock number # B1200

Second version African American Tressy

The second version of the African American doll from 1965 has a magic make up face and bend legs. She came in a shoe box style box complete with her stand and dressed in the same red and white dress, white tie belt with key attached as the other black Tressy, she also has hair clips, white panties and white open toe shoes.

Stock number # B1203

From the collection of Linda Clark

From the collection of Linda Clark

 Pre Teen Tressy Doll

This is pre teen Tressy in her original outfit consisting of a pink and white dress, pink panties, shoes and socks and two small hair ribbons. She also has growing hair but it is worked by a knob on her back and she does not have a key. Her hair colours were dark blonde and brunette. She was also sold in the same outfit as pictured above but in blue. She was made in 1963 and is 15" tall. The stock numbers we have for the Pre Teen Tressy are # 1503, #1504 and # 1505 ( the #1505 version was in a trunk set)

Mary Make-up

One version of the Mary make up doll was produced by America Character in 1964. Mary had the same  straight legs of the second version Tressy doll. She had short blonde rooted hair and the hair colouring set could be used to change the hair colour. She had a special waxy coating to her face for the application and removal of make up. She came in a carton style of box with openings at the top and bottom with a blue or red dress with white trim and belt, white panties and white open toe shoes. 

Stock number # 5002

From the collection of Linda Clark

From the collection of Linda Clark

First version of Cricket

The first version of Cricket that American Character made had long rooted hair, bangs and straight legs and has brown eyes looking to the right and made in 1964.  She was stock number  *1414* and was Tressy's little cousin. She did not have growing hair as the later doll did, she had long rooted hair in brown, blonde and red. She was sold in a ballet dress and white shoes and hair band.

* denotes approximate stock number

Second version of cricket

The second version of Cricket has straight legs, long rooted hair with bangs and turquoise eyes looking slightly to the left and from 1964. She is stock number *1414* and is Tressy's little cousin. , and the hair colours are brown, blonde and red.  She was sold in a tutu, hair band and white shoes.

* denotes approximate stock number

From the collection of Linda Clark

From the collection of Linda Clark

Third version of Cricket

The Third version has posing legs and was from 1964. She was stock number 1414 and was Tressy's little cousin. she has long rooted hair and blue eyes looking to the left and was sold in a tutu, white shoes and hair band. The hair came in brown, blonde and red. 

Forth version of Cricket with growing hair

This version of the Cricket doll has the growing hair and is from 1965. She was sold at first as Tressy's little cousin in the remaining boxes that American Character had left over from the earlier versions of Cricket, who were Tressy's little cousins. This has now been verified:- Stock number 1415 with the growing hair was first sold in the boxes American Character had left over from the 1st versions of Cricket without growing hair, who were Tressy's little cousins, stock number 1414. This box had a yellow paper covering the back of the box to state that the doll now had growing hair. Grow hair cricket was later sold in a new box as Tressy's little sister. She had posing legs and came in a little ballet outfit and white shoes and had a ribbon and bows in her hair that were held in place by 4 thick steel pins with pearl tops. When these pins are removed it looks as though the doll has 4 hair plugs missing but she does not. These pins can also cause green stains to the head if they are not removed.  

  This doll shown is mint straight out of the box with her pins and ribbons removed to preserve her.

From the collection of Linda Clark